Free Republic

The Democratic nominee's new sitcom.

Federal prosecutors on Monday sent the strongest hint yet that convicted influence peddler Antoin "Tony" Rezko is ready to spill his political secrets,... {snip} Speculation has simmered for weeks that the 53-year-old key fundraiser for Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Sen. Barack Obama was whispering what he knows about corruption in Illinois government to federal prosecutors in hopes of getting a lighter sentence. {snip}

The Obama campaign has come out saying that Barack Obama was unaware of former Weather Underground member William Ayer's past when the two met more than a decade ago (when Obama kicked off his Illinois political carrer in Ayer's living room). When Rev. Wright went on a tirade before the National Press Club, Barack Obama came out and said "This is not the man I knew." When Tony Rezko was being exposed as a crook, Barack Obama came out and said "This is not the Tony Rezko I knew." Is America dumb enough to believe that Barack Obama was clueless...

Branding his opponent as “erratic in a crisis,” Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is preempting plans by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) to portray him as having sinister connections to controversial Chicagoans. Obama officials call it political jujitsu – turning the attacks back on the attacker. McCain officials had said early in the weekend that they plan to begin advertising after Tuesday’s debate that will tie Obama to convicted money launderer Tony Rezko and former Weathermen radical William Ayers. But Obama isn’t waiting to respond. His campaign is going up Monday on national cable stations with a scathing ad saying: “Three quarters...

WASHINGTON - Sen. John McCain and his Republican allies are readying a newly aggressive assault on Sen. Barack Obama's character, believing that to win in November they must shift the conversation back to questions about the Democrat's judgment, honesty and personal associations. With just a month to go until Election Day, McCain's team has decided that its emphasis on the senator's biography as a war hero, experienced lawmaker and straight-talking maverick is insufficient to close a growing gap with Obama.

Remember Antoin "Tony" Rezko? I'm sure Governor Rod Blagojevich recalls who he is. Maybe even Barack Obama. Well, unless you live in Chicago, or keep an eye on the Chi-town Tribune, you probably have not heard in the national Main Stream Media that Rezko is singing his big head off to the Feds. YEP! According to the Trib, Rezko, who is scheduled for his sentencing appearance on October 28th, is quite the chatty-catty now. The IceMan who said nadda-word for these many months is makin' like a canary. Why? Well, the courts keep turning down his appeals for mistrials and...

Subversives for Obama Friday, 26th September 2008 There are two American election campaigns currently running. The first, in the mainstream media, accepts Barack Obama at face value, no questions asked, while it viciously turns over Sarah Palin and her family whom it subjects to lies, smears and character assassination. The second, being conducted in the blogosphere and (with one or two notable exceptions such as the Wall Street Journal) not alluded to at all by the mainstream media, is the site of verbal warfare between Camp Obama and bloggers who are practising journalism as it used to be practised –...

From FReeper OPS4 A nasty October surprise for Barry? Maybe he can get a bracelet with Tony Rezko's name on it (surely he'll remember that name) and pray to Karl Marx or whatever god he worships that TR keeps his mouth shut. Tipsville: Sneed hears rumbles that convicted influence peddler Tony Rezko, whose dealings have been linked to Barack Obama and Gov. Blagojevich, is singing to the feds. To wit: "I'm told by a close friend of Rezko that he's cooperating with the feds," said a Sneed source. "I don't know whether he's talking about Gov. Blagojevich or Barack Obama...

Barack Obama received a sweetheart land deal from his one time major fundraiser and now convicted Tony Rezko, that is old news. But what is new news is the fact that Joe Biden has ties into this whole money laundering scheme. Joe Biden has been a friend of Joseph Cari, who just pleaded guilty to extortion, for thirty years. Biden has described himself as a 30-year friend of a key figure in the Rezko trial who’s pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing. So what was Cari’s crime? In 2005, Cari admitted to taking...

For those of you who still cling to the fantasy that Barack Obama is "about change," you should note how he, or his minions, want nothing to do with reforming politics in Illinois, perhaps the most corrupt state in the Union. "Throughout his political career, Barack Obama has fought for open and honest government," proclaims his campaign Web site. Apparently, no longer. When the Democratic presidential candidate—now his party's industrial-strength voice for our deliverance from political corruption everywhere—was asked by a reformer if he would help get his political mentor back home to get off the dime and move the...

It looks like convicted Chicago power merchant Tony Rezko could have two friends in the White House come Jan uary - if the Democratic ticket is elected, that is. Barack Obama's ties to the prolific fund-raiser and developer - who faces up to 20 years behind bars following his June conviction for wire fraud, mail fraud, money-laundering and soliciting bribes - are relatively well-known. Over the years, Rezko raised some $250,000 for Obama's campaigns. And, in 2005, he helped Barack and Michelle Obama by buying a lot they couldn't afford right next to the home they'd just purchased - then...

Former governor Mitt Romney, perhaps continuing his audition to be John McCain's running mate, attacked Barack Obama today for making an issue out of McCain's many homes. Speaking to reporters at a lunch sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor, Romney said that while McCain deserved his houses because of the "hard work" of himself and his family, "Barack Obama got a special deal from a convicted felon." "I think it was a strange thing for Barack Obama to seize upon," Romney said. "If homes is going to be the topic of discussion that Barack Obama is going to end up...

Jabir Herbert Muhammad — son of Nation of Islam founder Elijah Muhammad and former manager of boxing great Muhammad Ali — died Monday afternoon at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center.Mr. Muhammad, 79, had undergone open-heart surgery last week, said Joseph Morris, a Muhammad family attorney. Mr. Muhammad had been in the news last year because of a lawsuit he filed against convicted political fund-raiser Tony Rezko to stay in his South Side mansion, a home built by the late Elijah Muhammad.In an interview with the Chicago Sun-Times last year, Mr. Muhammad said Rezko had “embezzled” him out...

JOSEPH CARI : 30-year friend of VP pick guilty in kickback scheme . No matter what help Barack Obama might get from Sen. Joseph Biden, his newly named vice presidential running mate won't give Obama much cover on the Tony Rezko front. Biden has described himself as a 30-year friend of a key figure in the Rezko trial who's pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing. When the Delaware senator began contemplating his own 2008 presidential run, he initially was helped by Chicago lawyer Joseph Cari Jr., who also served as Biden's Midwest field...

"Why aren’t the American media investigating the role of British billionaire businessman Nadhmi Auchi in supplying loans to Barack Obama fundraiser Tony Rezko? Some point to media bias, but there is another factor. Working for Auchi, who was born in Iraq, attorneys from London law firm Carter-Ruck have for several months been flooding American and British newspapers and websites with letters demanding removal of material they deem “defamatory” to their client."

DENVER -- No matter what help Barack Obama might get from Sen. Joseph Biden, his newly named vice presidential running mate won't give Obama much cover on the Tony Rezko front. Biden has described himself as a 30-year friend of a key figure in the Rezko trial who's pleaded guilty to a federal extortion charge in Chicago and is awaiting sentencing. When the Delaware senator began contemplating his own 2008 presidential run, he initially was helped by Chicago lawyer Joseph Cari Jr., who also served as Biden's Midwest field director in his failed 1988 bid for president.

How soft were Harry Smith's lobs to Barack Obama? If this had been a slow-pitch league, Smith might still have been booted for insufficient MPH. CBS aired Smith's interview of the Dem candidate, conducted yesterday, on this morning's Early Show. After a clip of McCain saying he questioned Obama's judgment, not his patriotism, Smith teed it up for his guest. HARRY SMITH: Many of the attacks that have come from John McCain's campaign have been, quite frankly, condescending. Were you surprised by that? Does it anger you? Tough stuff! Smith didn't explain what is condescending about a candidate questioning his...

Ever since Barack Obama chose former Fannie Mae CEO Jim Johnson to vet potential vice presidential choices, critics have questioned Johnson’s ties to Countrywide Financial Corporation, a mortgage lender that gave Johnson millions in below-market loans. The Obama campaign issued a vehement statement Monday calling questions about Johnson’s loans “overblown and irrelevant.” Obama’s GOP opposition, however, is showing no tolerance for Johnson’s role in Obama’s campaign and is eagerly tying the scandal to Obama’s disgraced landlord friend, Tony Rezko. While Obama was kicking off a two-week battleground state economy tour in Raleigh, North Carolina on Monday, the Republican National Committee...

Campaign '08: Obama's shady real estate partner and benefactor has been found guilty of mail fraud, wire fraud, aiding and abetting bribery, and money-laundering. Obama called a deal he made with him a "boneheaded move." So would be electing Obama president.Tony Rezko was the classic influence-peddler and the patron saint of the old politics that Barack Obama claims he wants to change. The 16 of 24 counts of which Rezko was convicted Wednesday accused him of corrupting two state boards and using his influence in the administration of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to squeeze cash from firms seeking state business....

Antoin Rezko, a Chicago businessman and longtime fundraiser for Sen. Barack Obama, (D-Ill.), was convicted of 16 felony charges Wednesday... ... The 16 counts included fraud, money laundering and abetting bribery ...